Addiction Support & Recovery

Bill W

Twelve Secular Steps features biology based explanations of both addiction and of the 12 Step recovery process. As a Step working guidebook the author, a scientist and recovered addict, emphasizes an active role for the recovering addict. Science and faith come together in this adaptation of the approach used by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. And they do so in a way that neither promotes nor discourages religion; it simply focuses on sobriety.

Lloyd Sederer

A groundbreaking guide to addiction from a psychiatrist and public health doctor, offering practical, proven solutions for individuals, families, and communities dealing with substance use and abuse. Written with warmth, accessibility, and vast autho rity, The Addiction Solution is a practical guide through the world of drug use and abuse and addiction treatment. Here, Lloyd I. Sederer, MD, brings together scientific and clinical knowledge, policy suggestions, and case studies to describe our current drug crisis and establish a clear path forward to recovery and health. In a time when so many people are affected by the addiction epidemic, when 142 people die of overdoses every day in the United States, principally from opioids, Sederer’s decades of wisdom and clinical experience are needed more than ever before. With a timely focus on opioids, Sederer takes us through the proven essentials of addiction treatment and explains why so many of our current policies, like the lingering remnants of the War on Drugs, fail to help drug users, their families, and their wider communities. He identifies a key insight, often overlooked in popular and professional writing about addiction and its treatment: namely, that people who use drugs do so to meet specific needs, and that drugs may be the best solution those people currently have. Writing with generosity and empathy about the many Americans who use illicit and prescribed substances, Sederer lays out specific, evidence-based, researched solutions to the prevention and problems of drug use, including exercise, medications, therapy, recovery programs, and community services.

Judith Grisel

From a renowned behavioral neuroscientist and recovering addict, a rare page-turning work of science that draws on personal insights to reveal how drugs work, the dangerous hold they can take on the brain, and the surprising way to combat today' s epidemic of addiction. Judith Grisel was a daily drug user and college dropout when she began to consider that her addiction might have a cure, one that she herself could perhaps discover by studying the brain. Now, after twenty-five years as a neuroscientist, she shares what she and other scientists have learned about addiction, enriched by captivating glimpses of her personal journey. In Never Enough, Grisel reveals the unfortunate bottom line of all regular drug use: there is no such thing as a free lunch. All drugs act on the brain in a way that diminishes their enjoyable effects and creates unpleasant ones with repeated use. Yet they have their appeal, and Grisel draws on anecdotes both comic and tragic from her own days of using as she limns the science behind the love of various drugs, from marijuana to alcohol, opiates to psychedelics, speed to spice. With more than one in five people over the age of fourteen addicted, drug abuse has been called the most formidable health problem worldwide, and Grisel delves with compassion into the science of this scourge. She points to what is different about the brains of addicts even before they first pick up a drink or drug, highlights the changes that take place in the brain and behavior as a result of chronic using, and shares the surprising hidden gifts of personality that addiction can expose. She describes what drove her to addiction, what helped her recover, and her belief that a “cure” for addiction will not be found in our individual brains but in the way we interact with our communities. Set apart by its color, candor, and bell-clear writing, Never Enough is a revelatory look at the roles drugs play in all of our lives and offers crucial new insight into how we can solve the epidemic of abuse.

Michael McGee

Addiction to painkillers is a national epidemic. It kills 115 Americans every day. Painkiller overdose is now the leading cause of death among people under fifty. But, life doesn't come with an instruction manual on what to do if you're in the clutches of addiction. And because most people are ashamed of their addiction, they are reluctant to seek help. Now, 101 Things to Know if You're Addicted to Painkillers cuts to the chase, offering "bare bones" lessons on what you need understand about overcoming addiction. The book addresses questions such as: How does addiction "rewire" the brain? How does denial perpetuate drug addiction? Can you recover alone? What drugs relieve withdrawal symptoms? What's involved with out-patient and out-patient treatment? How can you prevent relapse? Don't lose hope! Millions have recovered from addiction. You can, too!

Akikur Mohammad

As compelling as it is informative and authoritative, The Anatomy of Addiction leads readers to a better understanding about the causes, prevention and treatment of addiction. It explains in layman's terms what constitutes effective, evidence-ba sed addiction medicine and how to find it. Ultimately, the book provides actionable, scientific information for addicts and their families and details how to avoid so-called rehab clinics that are at best useless and at worst dangerous and even life threatening.

Leslie Jamison

With its deeply personal and seamless blend of memoir, cultural history, literary criticism, and reportage, The Recovering turns our understanding of the traditional addiction narrative on its head, demonstrating that the story of recovery can be eve ry bit as electrifying as the train wreck itself. Leslie Jamison deftly excavates the stories we tell about addiction--both her own and others'--and examines what we want these stories to do and what happens when they fail us. All the while, she offers a fascinating look at the larger history of the recovery movement, and at the complicated bearing that race and class have on our understanding of who is criminal and who is ill. At the heart of the book is Jamison's ongoing conversation with literary and artistic geniuses whose lives and works were shaped by alcoholism and substance dependence, including John Berryman, Jean Rhys, Billie Holiday, Raymond Carver, Denis Johnson, and David Foster Wallace, as well as brilliant lesser-known figures such as George Cain, lost to obscurity but newly illuminated here. Through its unvarnished relation of Jamison's own ordeals, The Recovering also becomes a book about a different kind of dependency: the way our desires can make us all, as she puts it, "broken spigots of need." It's about the particular loneliness of the human experience-the craving for love that both devours us and shapes who we are. For her striking language and piercing observations, Jamison has been compared to such iconic writers as Joan Didion and Susan Sontag, yet her utterly singular voice also offers something new. With enormous empathy and wisdom, Jamison has given us nothing less than the story of addiction and recovery in America writ large, a definitive and revelatory account that will resonate for years to come.

Thomas F. Harrison, Hilary S. Connery

The purpose of this book is to explain addiction and to help families and friends to deal with it successfully. People who are struggling with addiction can also use this book to understand their situation and the resources that are available to help them. And people who are wondering if they might have an addiction can use it to get a better sense of the nature and depth of their potential problem. Part I explains the science behind addiction. Part II looks at the emotional side of the problem and how families are affected. Part III discusses many of the real-world legal and practical issues that addicts often face, and ways to keep them out of trouble. Part IV provides a detailed overview of treatment options. And Part V describes the recovery process and the most effective strategies to keep it going for the long term.

Kate Sciandra

Create a new way of living that reduces stress, increases productivity, improves mood, and enhances relationships. Using step-by-step instructions and exercises that incorporate habit-forming techniques, author Kate Sciandra helps you find everyday o pportunities for making mindfulness an easy practice. In just six weeks, you can fully integrate this quick approach to living in the moment. Each week you'll learn about: The difference between meditation and mindfulness, and how to recognize opportunities for both Useful information about mindfulness, meditation, and habit formation How to build your mental toolkit as well as ways to use it often How to address misconceptions about the process of being present How to live in the moment no matter what you’re doing or where you are Whether you want to improve your concentration, take better care of yourself, or simply have a greater appreciation for life, this easy-to-use guide is your best choice for calming the body and quieting the mind on a schedule that fits your busy life.

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life

Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

You're not stuck with the brain you're born with. Here are just a few of neuropsychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen's surprising--and effective--"brain prescriptions" that can help heal your brain and change your life: To Quell Anxiet y and Panic: ¸ Use simple breathing techniques to immediately calm inner turmoil To Fight Depression: ¸ Learn how to kill ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) To Curb Anger: ¸ Follow the Amen anti-anger diet and learn the nutrients that calm rage To Conquer Impulsiveness and Learn to Focus: ¸ Develop total focus with the "One-Page Miracle" To Stop Obsessive Worrying: ¸ Follow the "get unstuck" writing exercise and learn other problem-solving exercises.

Spiritual Adrenaline

Tom Shanahan

Personal trainer and sports nutritionist, Tom Shanahan, outlines a program of action to energize, reboot, and strengthen one’s recovery, especially those who feel they may have hit a wall in their program. Spiritual Adrenaline imparts the importanc e of a holistic approach to fitness, good eating habits, and connection to a personal higher power in order to optimize the guiding principles of the Twelve Steps and reinforce relapse prevention.

Holly Whitaker

We live in a world obsessed with drinking. We drink at baby showers and work events, brunch and book club, graduations and funerals. Yet no one ever questions alcohol’s ubiquity—in fact, the only thing ever questioned is why someone doesn’t dri nk. It is a qualifier for belonging and if you don’t imbibe, you are considered an anomaly. As a society, we are obsessed with health and wellness, yet we uphold alcohol as some kind of magic elixir, though it is anything but. When Holly Whitaker decided to seek help after one too many benders, she embarked on a journey that led not only to her own sobriety, but revealed the insidious role alcohol plays in our society and in the lives of women in particular. What’s more, she could not ignore the ways that alcohol companies were targeting women, just as the tobacco industry had successfully done generations before. Fueled by her own emerging feminism, she also realized that the predominant systems of recovery are archaic, patriarchal, and ineffective for the unique needs of women and other historically oppressed people—who don’t need to lose their egos and surrender to a male concept of God, as the tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous state, but who need to cultivate a deeper understanding of their own identities and take control of their lives. When Holly found an alternate way out of her own addiction, she felt a calling to create a sober community with resources for anyone questioning their relationship with drinking, so that they might find their way as well. Her resultant feminine-centric recovery program focuses on getting at the root causes that lead people to overindulge and provides the tools necessary to break the cycle of addiction, showing us what is possible when we remove alcohol and destroy our belief system around it. Written in a relatable voice that is honest and witty, Quit Like a Woman is at once a groundbreaking look at drinking culture and a road map to cutting out alcohol in order to live our best lives without the crutch of intoxication. You will never look at drinking the same way again.

Claudia Black

Claudia Black's bestselling classic on the experience and legacy of being raised in an addictive household. In an all too familiar scenario, played out in millions of homes every day, children who grow up in addictive families abide by certain r ules: don't talk, don't trust, don't feel. The rigid survival roles and youthful coping behaviors they take on, such as the responsible child, the adjuster, the placater, and the acting-out child can eventually contribute to problems of depression, loneliness, and addiction in adulthood. Using poignant personal stories, thoughtful explanations, and helpful exercises, Black helps readers gain personal insights and develop new skills that lead to a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life. While continuing to recognize alcohol as the primary addiction within families, this newly revised edition of It Will Never Happen to Me, which has sold more than two million copies, broadens concepts to include addictive disorders involving other drugs, money, food, sex, and work.

Harry Haroutunian

The leading clinical expert on substance misuse and abuse, Dr. Harry Haroutunian of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, provides caregivers and loved ones with vital information needed to understand and address addiction issues in older adults. Drug and alcohol problems are booming in older adults. Dramatic lifestyle changes, along with growing health problems, have led many to turn to alcohol, prescription painkillers, and marijuana to medicate their physical and psychological pain. You may think, Dad is just enjoying cocktails and retirement, or Mom still has pain and needs her pills. Maybe so, but consider that an estimated 17 percent of people age sixty and older struggle with misuse of alcohol and prescription drugs alone. Older adults are now hospitalized as often for alcohol-related problems as they are for heart attacks. In this book, Dr. Haroutunian, physician director of the Professionals Program at the Betty Ford Center, provides you with the information needed to understand the dynamics of addiction in older adults. You’ll learn toclearly distinguish between the signs of aging and the signs of addiction, many of which overlapidentify the indications of drug misuse and its progression to addictionunderstand the unique treatment needs of older adultsget the help you—as a caregiver or loved one—need to cope with your loved one’s addictionThis essential guide can help you transform stress and chaos into understanding and compassion.

Charles H. Elliott, Laura L. Smith

Give up smoking and vaping for good Most people know that smoking is bad for their health and believe vaping is a better alternative. Now, vaping has become a national epidemic and shows no sign of slowing. Quitting Smoking & Vaping For Dummies d elivers facts about the differences between smoking and vaping, the effects on their short-term and long-term health, and how addiction works. Whether you’re a smoker or a vaper, or have a loved one that needs to break the habit, this trusted guidebook walks you through building a personal quitting plan. Offering information on new and effective medication treatments, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and building resilience, it sets you or a family member on the path to recovery. This book breaks down the psychology of your addiction so you can identify the methods that are most useful and effective for becoming smoke free for good. Start your recovery today, and look forward to a long and healthy life. Inside • Determine your quit day • Change thought patterns • Explain the dangers of vaping to children/teens • Avoid or move past relapses • Recognize the risks • Deal with triggers • Help a loved one quit

Michael Pollan

A brilliant and brave investigation into the medical and scientific revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs--and the spellbinding story of his own life-changing psychedelic experiences When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and psil ocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression, addiction and anxiety, he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book. But upon discovering how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill but also of healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life, he decided to explore the landscape of the mind in the first person as well as the third. Thus began a singular adventure into various altered states of consciousness, along with a dive deep into both the latest brain science and the thriving underground community of psychedelic therapists. Pollan sifts the historical record to separate the truth about these mysterious drugs from the myths that have surrounded them since the 1960s, when a handful of psychedelic evangelists inadvertently catalyzed a powerful backlash against what was then a promising field of research. A unique and elegant blend of science, memoir, travel writing, history, and medicine, How to Change Your Mind is a triumph of participatory journalism. By turns dazzling and edifying, it is the gripping account of a journey to an exciting and unexpected new frontier in our understanding of the mind, the self, and our place in the world. The true subject of Pollan's "mental travelogue" is not just psychedelic drugs but also the eternal puzzle of human consciousness and how, in a world that offers us both suffering and joy, we can do our best to be fully present and find meaning in our lives.

Kenneth Perlmutter

Now, more than ever, families struggle to live with, care for, and protect their family members suffering with addiction or mental illness. Kenneth Perlmutter, a California psychologist with 30-plus years in the field, has written Freedom from Family Dysfunction specifically for family members who love someone battling addiction or mental illness who want to break the cycles of codependency and relapse plaguing their dysfunctional systems. The combination of compelling vignettes, lively dialogues, and step-by-step instructions makes this guidebook an indispensable tool for the parents, partners, adult children, and the clinicians who treat them, to heal the powerlessness, pain, and impossibility of life with someone they’ve been trying to help, sometimes for decades. Perlmutter takes a systemic and inter-generational view, combining current knowledge with his deep personal experience of addiction and family dysfunction to guide readers toward understanding their systems, their positions in them, and the forces that keep things stuck. “Stress-Induced Impaired Coping (SIIC)” is the term he’s coined to describe his ground-breaking model of family system pathology and recovery. He invites families to see themselves not as dysfunctional, but as wounded, as they work toward connection, closeness, and the restoration of systemic mental wellness and sustainability. Best of all, the method works regardless of whether the one identified as “the problem” makes changes or not.

Daniel G. Amen

New hope for those suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addictions, PTSD, ADHD and more. Though incidence of these conditions is skyrocketing, for the past four decades standard treatment hasn't much changed, and success rates in treating them have barely improved, either. Meanwhile, the stigma of the "mental illness" label--damaging and devastating on its own--can often prevent sufferers from getting the help they need. Brain specialist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen is on the forefront of a new movement within medicine and related disciplines that aims to change all that. In The End of Mental Illness, Dr. Amen draws on the latest findings of neuroscience to challenge an outdated psychiatric paradigm and help readers take control and improve the health of their own brain, minimizing or reversing conditions that may be preventing them from living a full and emotionally healthy life.

Dean Sluyter

Everywhere you look, life can look hard, complicated and even scary at times. How do we navigate through the confusion and fear, so that we can have peace of mind? Dean Sluyter, author and meditation teacher for more than 45 years, offers an antidote to a fear-filled life- natural meditation. Expanding on the techniques he described in his popular book Natural Meditation, Sluyter shows how fear plays a major role in our lives, and when we let fear control our thoughts and actions we end up worsening our experience. The methods many people use to try to calm their fear - such as avoidance, alcohol and drugs, overeating and procrastination - end up creating more negativity, and therefore more fear. Now, in Fear Less, Sluyter shows us that simple practices that we can perform immediately can have a major impact on our daily lives and our futures. Instead of complicated meditation methods that leave readers frustrated and vowing that they can't meditate, Sluyter shows how meditation is one of the most natural acts that we can do, and in fact we meditate daily without even knowing we do. Becoming aware of this state of natural meditation allows us to direct our thoughts in different ways, and to have deeper experiences of life. When we do this, we can release much of the fear we hold on to, allowing us to live a less-fear-based life, filled with more meaning and joy.

Mayo Clinic Guide to Self-Care

Martha P Millman, Cindy A Kermott

Mayo Clinic Guide to Self-Care, Seventh Edition, provides reliable, practical, easy-to-understand information on more than 300 common medical conditions and issues relating to your health. No book can replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. Instead, our intent is to help you understand and safely manage some common health problems. In addition, you’ll learn how to recognize serious problems so that you’ll know when to contact your health care provider and when to call 911 or your local emergency number.